The promised land to the North of Ocean Grove. When will truth and transparency take center stage for the benefit of we the people? Paul Goldfinger. ©
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.net
The May 2 edition of the Qoaster contains an article about what Vito Gadaleta, the Township Business Administrator, had to say in an interview about the fire wreckage at the Pavilion site, and another article about the ramblings of Vito Gadaleta at the Home Groaners’ April 27 meeting regarding the North End and other subjects including his life story.
The problem is that the Qoastericans just regurgitate what the Township and the CMA tells it, while the HOA just brings in speakers, but no progress comes out of it. They are a self-important and impotent organization.
At Blogfinger we worry about the trustworthiness of those sources, because Gadaleta is part of the Township Committee Smoke and Mirrors Society, and the HOA does very little to dig below the surface and make progress on major issues that affect our town such as the dimly lit and secretive North End Redevelopment Plan.
In fact, the HOA often skirts the important issues in order to focus on topics such as Mid-Town development, Anti-antisemitism in the Grove, OG history, and Black migration. What has it accomplished in solving our core problems?
So here is a list of what was reported from the Qoaster about the fire site:
a. Gadaleta said: “Township officials have no problem with the historic structure (the Pavilion which burned down) being rebuilt at the OG North End.”
b. Gadaleta said, “From the Township’s perspective, the building is in the Northeast Redevelopment area and we would allow it to be rebuilt.”
“However it will ultimately be up to the Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) of 1973 that set federal limitations on building or rebuilding in coastal areas.”
c. “It will probably become a CAFRA issue. And I don’t know what a CAFRA review would look like. That is a battle that would still have to be fought,” Gadaleta said.
Do any of you know what he is talking about?
And what did the Qoaster “journalist” do to clarify any of this for us? Nothing!
And now let’s hear what was said at the Home Groaners meeting where Gadaleta spoke. As usual, the Qoaster stenographer wrote down every word. So we thank them for that.
a. Gadaleta said the fire was not arson, but the final investigation is not complete.
b. He said that $9,000 was placed in the budget to hire the services of a parking planner.
c. Regarding “the Ocean Grove North End Development (sic) project, the redevelopers are close to finalizing their agreement for this project through the Neptune Planing Board and the HPC.”
He said that “the current development plan includes a 42 room boutique hotel, 32-36 condominium units, commercial space, and ten single family homes” He “would like to think that ground breaking can occur by the end of this year, with the first item for construction being the underground parking garage.”
In the Q and A, Gadaleta said that CAFRA could allow construction east of the boardwalk. Really? Other topics were discussed with him in the Q and A, but you can pick up a copy of the Qoaster to see those.
Also, in a strange comment, he said, “No taxpayer money will go into the North End development project. This is not a public project.”
So what we have here is a mélange of gobbledygook. I hope that some of the supporters of what was said would try to clarify these matters for us. That would normally be the job of the Groaners and our elected officials (of which Gadaleta is not) but lots of luck with that.
Blogfinger is an information-sharing web site. We don’t have all the answers, but we are deeply concerned about the truth. Attendance at our site is vastly greater than the number that attend Groaner meetings. So we are the best place to give voice to honest OG opinions.
So let’s hear from some of you who not only are interested, but who know something about these matters and are willing to share with all of us. You can even speak anonymously. Write us at Blogfinger@verizon.net, and we will consider publishing your words of wisdom.
SHE AND HIM:
I can’t imagine we’d ever get state approval for a new structure on the beach, so let’s start thinking about alternatives. For this summer, why not a food truck court?
And when the North End project is done, its boardwalk retail section should find tenants sooner — move all the fire-displaced tenants across the boardwalk. Then turn the burn site into high dunes and more beach — and how about that dog beach everyone has been talking about?
Editor’s note: See our May 9 post regarding this comment.
Vito Gadaleta puts up a smokescreen when he simplifies the idea of rebuilding the White Whale. He refers to CAFRA, a federal program that ties into the State DEP, as if that is the only obstacle to bringing back the Whale.
But there are multiple layers of hoops to jump through including the fact that the Whale is part of the Zone in Need of Redevelopment, a Neptune public project which is currently tied into knots by OGNED and the CMA, and after that we would await the signing of a Redevelopers Agreement which has never materialized since 2007.
And then there is the NERP as described by Gadaleta which is different from the original North End Plan. It would have to be implemented in pieces since the original NERP (2008) is still in effect.
Plus there is the clean up which is currently awaiting some decisions. And also there is an owner of the building who is part of the picture and the CMA who manages the beachfront and owns the boardwalk. And the Planning Board and the HPC will have to weigh in.
Finally we will need a site plan signed by a professional planner whose license might be vulnerable.
The Pavilion property is part of the NERP (North End Redevelopment Plan.)
So far, there is at least $65,850.00 of taxpayer’s money approved by the Township Committee for the North End Redevelopment Plan.
In the Q and A at the Groaners’ meeting: He said, “No taxpayer money will go into the North End development project. This is not a public project.”
The North End Redevelopment Plan is not a “development project”. It is a Redevelopment project, and it is under the supervision of Neptune Township, so it is a “public project.”
Re: the cleanup after the fire, Gadaleta said that “it may be six to eight weeks before the North Ed beach will be open for public use.” Part of the process will include “bulk removal and sand sifting in order to place the beach back where it was prior to the fire.”
According to the Coaster, Gadaleta was asked “Who will be responsible for the cleanup of Wesley Lake?”
His response was that “the Wesley Lake Commission handles these issues and that dredging may be needed.”
He is disingenuous, because we and he all know that dirty street water runoff is the responsibility of the Township and that dredging is unaffordable for the whole Lake.
Underground parking next to a lake/retention basin and the ocean? Have they never heard of Nor’Easters? Hurricanes? I believe ground water levels are pretty high in this area. 1.9 off street parking spaces for that many planned units would cover a pretty big underground area. Sounds like more of that Idiocracy to me.
Paul, great writing/covering by you.
Arson is not the cause. Just like the four other major fires since 2010 that looked suspicious. And climate change is not real. And the sun and other planets revolve around the Earth.
What I expect is permission to build a one story structure where the fire occurred. This would provide some stores and restaurants and thus tax money for Neptune and high land rent for OGCMA. At less than ten feet high this new construction will not block the ocean views of the hotel visitors and condo buyers.
White Whale. Celebrate its passing.
Restore? This ancient Ocean Grove boardwalk-beach structure
destroyed by fire to a pile of rubbish
was in the middle of a flood zone.
Post Sandy hurricane, it was restored without official permits.
Expert advice at that time:” tear it down.”
It’s life ended with corrosive, unstable pilings.
Critical questions: Who owns a building on beach proper?
Who owns the beach ?
Regardless of legal answers–seldom sought,
the usual triumvirate rushes in to claim
and to eventually build on the beach.
For Neptune Township, it will add to its North End objective
of the highest real estate taxes–right on the ocean.
For Ocean Grove Camp Meeting ,it will benefit from escalating
land-rental agreements with anticipated condos and retail shops.
For well-known developers, their consistent mantra:
build higher, build denser, and forget about garages.
Triumvirate may be denying realities of climate change.
More fundamental, they are denying realities of vulnerability.
After superstorm Sandy , New Jersey’s coastal flood zones were expanded.
North End included.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration–the weather and ocean/coastline component of the U.S. Department of Commerce reports
more intense, furious Atlantic Ocean Hurricanes.
They will be more lethal and more difficult to forecast.
Nor’Easters are more frequent. They can be just as if not more destructive
to fragile coastlines and beaches.
These are major at-risk factors. It calls for more creative, contemporary solutions. Not the same old stuff.